Your entire production,
under control.
iHub MES is the manufacturing execution system developed by Key4: 8 integrated modules — Production, Material, Maintenance, Quality, Analysis, Energy, IIoT and CAD — in a single suite with native AI.
Real time, paperless, starting from an analysis of your production processes.
Single suite
Eight integrated modules with one shared data model — not disconnected tools that need to talk to each other.
Plant-ready by design
Native OPC-UA, MQTT, Modbus TCP connectivity — plus WMS and automated warehouse integration.
Two roles, two interfaces
Administrator panel for management and IT, operator panel for the line and shop floor. Each sees only what matters.
Start with Production.
Activate what you need.
iHub MES is composed of independent modules that are activated as needed. You start from the production core and expand gradually — paying only for what you use today.
Production
COREThe operational core
Enterprise model, orders, execution and real-time monitoring. The module on which the production structure is defined — required and always active.
- Enterprise model: plant structure, resources, products, BOMs and cycles
- Electronic dispatching: paperless work orders and operational tasks
- Real-time monitoring of data captured automatically from the line
- Dynamic BOMs & cycles: on-the-fly modifications without stopping the line
- Native integration with third-party ERP and business software
Materials
Logistics & traceability
From warehouse to plant, through to the finished batch. Full traceability of material usage, with lot, location and movement management.
- Integrated warehouses and locations with stock level monitoring
- Goods receipt and outbound flows, material and product movements
- Automated plant replenishment
- Batch management with full backward and forward traceability
- Native integration with automated warehouses and third-party WMS
Maintenance
Corrective, preventive, autonomous
Monitoring and control of corrective, preventive, autonomous and predictive maintenance processes across assets, machinery and equipment.
- Preventive: triggered by produced parts, operating hours or calendar
- Corrective: triggered by a fault or an operator intervention request
- Autonomous: mandatory shift-based checks and inspections
- Technician, spare part and maintenance cost management
- Intervention history for MTBF analysis and replacement decisions
Quality
In-process, not after the fact
Plan, execute and record quality controls directly on the production floor. Non-conformities are detected and blocked before they propagate.
- Quality control cycles linked to the production cycle
- Result recording directly from the workstation
- Real-time non-conformity detection with automatic hold
- Image and video capture to support controls
- Quality reports and root cause analysis
Analysis
OEE and KPIs in real time
The cross-domain layer: OEE, custom KPIs and reports that combine production, quality, maintenance and inventory data into one picture.
- OEE per line, machine and department in real time
- Custom dashboards and reports generated automatically
- Downtime causes classified and ranked by priority
- Target vs actual comparison for any period
- Data export to external BI or spreadsheets
Energy
Real consumption, not estimates
Monitor energy consumption by asset, line and department in real time. Identify waste with objective data, supporting sustainability goals.
- Real-time electrical consumption monitoring per machine
- Consumption/production correlation for energy efficiency calculation
- Alerts for consumption anomalies (faults, waste, peaks)
- Energy reports for certifications and audits
- Support for ESG objectives and Industry 5.0
IIoT
The connectivity backbone
Connect machines to the MES and collect field data automatically. Standard protocols and custom connectors for legacy systems.
- Native OPC-UA, MQTT, Modbus TCP, MTConnect
- Custom connectors for non-standard machines and plants
- Automatic capture of cycles, counters, alarms
- Edge gateway for environments without stable connectivity
- Integration with existing SCADA and supervision systems
CAD
Technical drawings on the floor
Put technical drawings and operating instructions directly in the hands of operators, viewable from the line panel without leaving the MES.
- Integrated viewer for CAD files (DWG, DXF, PDF, images)
- Drawing association to products, cycles and activities
- Automatic update to the latest approved revision
- Accessible from tablets and touch-screen workstations
- Integration with the product revision cycle
Native AI.
Not an add-on.
Users speak in natural language. The AI executes, analyzes and recommends. Operators and managers stop navigating menus — they simply ask.
What you can ask the AI
▶ What is the OEE of line 3 this week?
Line 3 OEE: 78.4% — Availability 91%, Performance 86%, Quality 99.8%
▶ Are there any energy consumption anomalies today?
Yes: CNC-7 lathe consumed +42% above average. Possible motor fault.
▶ Schedule April preventive maintenance
12 preventive tasks created for April. Press to confirm or edit the calendar.
Configuration and production
have different demands
iHub MES addresses both, with purpose-built interfaces for each role.
Administrator Panel
Management · Supervisors · IT"Everything needed to configure the factory."
- Enterprise model and master data (plant, resources, products)
- BOMs and production cycles
- Quality and maintenance cycle setup
- Machine connectivity configuration
- Custom reports, OEE and KPIs
- User management, permissions and operational roles
Operator Panel
Line · Department · Shop floor"Minimal clicks. The operator always knows what to do."
- Electronic dispatching of production orders
- Start and closeout of production activities
- In-line quality controls with result recording
- Downtime reporting and maintenance requests
- Real-time line status visualization
- Touch-screen interface optimized for shop floor use
One platform,
highly diverse environments
iHub MES is already live across highly diverse operational environments — from food to precision mechanics, from custom furniture to make-to-order metalworking.
Oil production & packaging
Context — Automated bottling and packaging line for edible oil, with integrated management of static and automated warehouses.
Focus — Real-time traceability and quality across the entire line, from raw material to packaged product.
Project characteristics
- Continuous production monitoring
- Elimination of paper documentation
- Automated in-line quality controls
- Full traceability of materials and batches
- Integration with plant machines
Custom mechanical components on CNC
Context — High-precision custom components on CNC machines, with tight tolerances and stringent quality controls.
Focus — High process and product customization, with frequent revisions to cycles and bills of materials.
Project characteristics
- Real-time monitoring
- Product revision and cycle management
- Online modification without stopping the line
- Preventive and scheduled maintenance
- Automated quality controls
Make-to-order armored door manufacturing
Context — Highly personalized products across a multi-department plant with different paces, from manual to fully automated workstations.
Focus — Strong interaction with the product CAD configurator, with scheduling adapted to each department's speed.
Project characteristics
- Continuous multi-department monitoring
- Scheduling optimized to department speed
- Quality controls with image capture
- Component traceability
- CAD configurator integration
Automated dairy production
Context — Food production managed by automated lines, requiring rigorous quality controls and batch traceability.
Focus — Advanced machine monitoring and control, with fully paperless operations.
Project characteristics
- Fully paperless operations
- Preventive maintenance management
- HACCP in-line quality controls
- Batch traceability from raw material
- Advanced plant control
Make-to-order metalworking
Context — Make-to-order production across mixed manual and automated workstations, with multi-paced scheduling across heterogeneous departments.
Focus — Adaptive scheduling across departments with different speeds and constraints, keeping production flow synchronized.
Project characteristics
- Multi-paced scheduling across departments
- Order management from quote to delivery
- Synchronization between manual and automated workstations
- Material and operation traceability
- ERP integration
Companies that trust iHub MES
Understand the process first.
Then choose the technology.
MES projects don't fail for technical reasons. They fail because of a lack of process vision and people engagement. That's why we always start with analysis, not software.
iHub MES integrates with what you already use
- SAP
- Microsoft Dynamics
- TeamSystem
- Zucchetti
- Gestionale J
- OPC-UA
- MQTT
- Modbus TCP
- MTConnect
- Custom connectors
Data exchange between ERP, MES and automation is bidirectional and consistent. We eliminate data silos and redundancies, clearly defining which system is the master for each data type.
iHub is a complete MOM (ISA-95)
Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM) is the ISA-95 framework defining the 4 operational domains to govern on the shop floor. A traditional MES only covers production. iHub covers all 4.
Want to explore iHub further?
iHub MES has a dedicated website with full documentation, modules and use cases. The complete iHub suite — MES, WMS and automation — is available at ihub.key-4.com.
ihubmes.it
Official iHub MES website
Full documentation, modules, industries and use cases for iHub MES. The reference point for in-depth product information.
ihub.key-4.com
Complete iHub suite
The complete iHub suite: MES, WMS and integration with automated warehouses. The whole system in one digital ecosystem.
Want to find out if a MES
is right for you?
We'll show you iHub MES running on a case similar to yours. No commitment — just a concrete conversation about your production process.
Reply within 24 hours · Preliminary analysis included